Jun 30, 2007

Allen and I took a bike ride up the West Side Highway to 44th St. where we found the Science Barge. I had read about it at Apartment Therapy. They have public tours almost every day at 4pm.

This barge is a self sustaining greenhouse that is completely off the grid. It uses solar and wind power. It also has a back up bio diesel generator for the cloudy days. The water they use is collected off the roof of the greenhouse or taken out of the Hudson and purified. The hope is that one day all the rooftops of the city can be turned into greenhouses. This way the energy used to transport the produce here can be eliminated. Also stated was how this form of agriculture is much more friendly to the earth by reducing water waste and saving trees from getting cut down for farm land. You can find more info here.

As for knitting, this Monday I met Nicky Epstein at the book signing at The Point. She is so fun and so is her new book Knitting Never Felt Better. I started on her Angel Puff Scarf. It takes one ball of Kid Silk Haze (I chose Kid Silk Night for some glam.) and is worked in plain stockinette. I'm just about finished with the knitting portion and can't wait to get started on the felting.

I have also finished the baby knits. They are just darling.

I've noticed recently that I'm knitting a lot of drape-y items in drape-y yarns. And I've loved it - The Flair, Delicious, Phyllo Yoked Pullover, etc. But this week I got my shipment of new craft books in the mail and fell head over heels in love with Fitted Knits. Almost everything in there has a little body to it and I just couldn't wait to get started. So I went through the stash and found some plum colored Woolbale that I was saving for a Fair Isle sweater (that I know for a fact I'll never get to), and casted on for the Puff Sleeved Feminine Cardigan.

Many more projects to talk about but I think I'll save them for next time. BTW: I got my invite to ravelry.com! Come find me: Knittini

Jun 17, 2007

It's small, cute, and looks great in knitted items... it's a baby, of course! Allen's best friend from college just had their first baby, a girl! And as any over obsessed knitter, I must make something for her.

First is the Baby Shrug from Debbie Bliss' Simply Baby book. The Point didn't have Cashmerino Aran so I subbed in Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk Aran instead. I'm more than half way done. Only the right front and the ribbing to go.

The other knitted item are these adorable little baby socks. I can't stand it - they're so cute!

I also plan on sewing up a changing pad but I have yet to decide on a fabric print(s). I want to stay away from the pink since the shrug is already pink. Maybe something orange or peach?

I was very excited yesterday when I got a chance to go to the Renegade Craft Fair. I didn't make it there til the late afternoon but made some purchases none the less. It was held in the old pool this time and it definitely looked like there were a lot more vendors this year. Thankful, I knew exactly what I wanted: items for the new place and fabric. It took most of my strength not to buy the sock yarn that I spied there. I made my purchases in a rushed, almost panicked hurry because the sky was starting to get gray. And in the end, all that running around paid off - two blocks before I made it back to the train, it started raining. None of my goodies got wet and for the most part, neither did I. Photos of the goods coming up in the next post. Till then, it will be baby knits, aprons, and lace yoked pullovers.

Jun 14, 2007

Inspired by the fact that next month I will have a new kitchen with modern stainless steel appliances, I've decided to sew up some vintage styled aprons. One green/red and the other yellow/orange. Great pattern and fabric from Purl Patchwork. I'm very excited to start!

I haven't forgotten my Phyllo Yoked Pullover though. I'm currently at 6", only 10" more to go in stockinette in the round... *pulls out gun, locks and loads it*. Seriously though, it's not as bad as I make it seem. The yarn slides on the needles very nicely and it goes rather fast.

Here's just a proud mother photo. My Hope resting on my knee on the couch earlier. She is just the more darling dog ever.

Jun 12, 2007

After a month and a half of non-stop knitting ... Delicious is finally finished!!

The sassy Jill A. helped me take this fabulous photo. But here comes the irony... it was about 80 degrees out today. Not exactly the right conditions to be sporting merino/cashmere/silk blends. And so in this spirit... the next item to be cast on is this...

A beautiful COTTON LACE yoked top. Pattern from Knitting Nature. The yarn has been in my stash since the Suss sale and I've been waiting for the right moment to start it. My hope is that I finish it before the summer is over. I am on a finishing streak so it may not be as impossible as it seems.

Jun 11, 2007

There's a feeling you get when you're almost finished with your sweater and all that is left is to seam it up: it's called frustration. This is why I treat myself to a faux pinned up version of the sweater to keep me going.

I really enjoyed making this sweater. The Sublime patterns instructions are very well written and it was almost idiot proof. Which in my case is utterly necessary most of the time. My only problem was that I ran out of yarn on the home stretch binding off the collar. All of that being my fault because I purposely knit the body and cuff ribbing on the size 6 needles instead of the 3s they recommended. I dislike sweaters that start to ride up on your back because the ribbing is too tight.

Although I did spend most of this week working on Delicious, I didn't slave away the entire time. Allen and I went on a "toy crawl"; basically the same idea as a yarn crawl but only with toys and comic book things. We picked up some nerdy Star Wars stamps.

Went to FAO where we saw HUGE lego sized Star Wars and comic book characters.

It was great fun. It's nice to take a break from knitting once in a while. ;D

I've decided to finish up some of my UFOs before starting anything new. Although I did pick up some lace weight Malabrigo in a dark purple recently....